Whiffletree



(o Model.) 1

H. 'POTH.

WHIFFLETRB.

' Patented May 10, 1892.l

mnmmnmllm a' Will! UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

I-IENRY POTH, OF CRAFTON, PENNSYLVANIA.`

WHIFFLETREE'.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,565, dated May 10,1892. Application filed February 20, 1892. Serial No. 422,230. (Nomodel.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY POTH, a citizen of the United States, residingat Grafton, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvernents in Single and DoubleTrees; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andeXact description of the same, reference being had to the annexeddrawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements insingletrees and doubletrees; and it has for its objects, among others,to provide an improved, simple, cheap, and strong device which shalltake the jar and strain off the team in starting and which will not bebroken under heavy strain. I form the wood portion with a longitudinalslot 01' groove, in which is arranged a metal spring set on edge toreceive the strain on edge. There is no straiu on the wood portion untilafter the spring has reached the limit of its elasticity. The trace-bookis revolubly held in position to facilitate application of the trace. Anauxiliary spring may be interposed to first receive the strain, which,later, is received by the spring in the groove of the wooden portion.

Other objects and advantages of the in vention will hereinafter appear,and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by theappended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improvedsingletree with a portion broken away. Fig. 2 is a front view thereof.Fig. 3 is a crosssection on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation of a modified form With a portion broken away. Fig. 5 is across-section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout theseveralviews.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates thewooden portion, which is provided With a longitudinal groove or recess aupon itsrear face, and within this grooveis arranged the steel spring B,which is a thin flat spring, with its outer edge normally extendedbeyond the outer face of the wooden portion, as seen in Figs. 1 and 4.There maybe one or more of these springs. In Fig. 2 I have shown two.

In the forms shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 clips C are employed, whichembrace the wooden portion and are provided with cross-bars b, to-

which or around which are secured the Springs D, the free ends of whichextend toward the ends of the device, as seen in Fig. 1, and are thereformed with a" transverse bend or depression b', as seen best in Fig. 1,for the reception of the convex face e of the nut E upon the end of thetrace-book F. This serves to prevent turning of the nut. This spring Dreceives the jar or strain upon the first starting of the team and thenbears upon the spring or springs B, as will be readily understood fromFig. 1. The trace-hooks are rotatably held in the ends of the woodenportion, and each has a right-angled portion f, which is designed toengage the top of the singletree, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, to hold thesame locked and prevent accidental displacement of the traces. Thebook-trace may be easily turned around for attachment of the trace whendesired.

i In the form shown in Figs. 4 and 5 the supplemental springs D areomitted and the shanks of the trace-hooks are passed through loops oreyes in the ends of the springs B, which extend into the ferrules on theends of the singletree, as seen in said views; or the trace-hook mayhave a loop f' to encircle the ferrule, as seen at the left of Figs. 4and 5. The operation is the same in all instances.

What I claim as new is- 1. A whiftletree recessed at its rear side, aleaf-sprin g confined in said recess, trace-hooks secured to saidwhiffletree, and the shanks of said hooks bearing against said spring atthe ends thereof, substantially as described.

2. A whiflietree recessed at its rear side, a leaf-spring confined insaid recess, rotatable trace-hooks secured to said whiffletree, and theshanks of said hooks bearing against said spring at the ends thereof,substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the body portion having a longitudinal groove,of a flat spring IOO set on edge in said groove, trace-books, and shanksand bearings on the Springs, as set [o interposed Springs extending fromthe said forth.

springto the said hooks and connected there- In testimony that I claimthe above I have with, as set forth. hereunto subseribed my name in thepi'esenee 4. The combination, with the body poi'tion of two witnesses.

and its longitudinal groove and spring set on HENRY POTH.

edge therein, of the Springs at the ends, the Vitnesses:

trace-books having their shanks engaged by J. S..KENNEDY,

said Springs, and adj Listing nuts 011 said J. R. BRADDOCK.

